The Culture, Community Safety & Environment Scrutiny Panel were scheduled to meet on 13 November 2025 to discuss the draft budget proposals for 2026-27, the medium term financial strategy for 2026-2031, and the panel's work programme. The meeting was also scheduled to include updates on filming at meetings, apologies for absence, urgent business, declarations of interest, deputations, petitions, presentations and questions, and future meeting dates.

Here's a breakdown of the key items they were expected to address:

Draft Budget Proposals and Medium Term Financial Strategy

The panel was scheduled to scrutinise the revenue and capital proposals outlined in the Draft 2026-27 Budget Proposals and 2026-2031 Medium Term Financial Strategy Report. This report highlighted the council's challenging financial position, with a significant reduction in core government funding since 2010/11 and increasing demand for services.

Key points from the report included:

• A forecast budget shortfall of at least £57 million for 2026/27, even after new savings and efficiencies of £7.0 million were identified.
• Increasing pressures in social care and temporary accommodation, which account for 80% of service budgets.
• The need for more radical change and transformation in how statutory services are delivered.
• The council's reliance on Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) from the government to balance its budget, which is not a sustainable solution.
• Potential losses of up to £10 million in 2026/27 due to the government's Fair Funding review¹.

The report recommended launching a consultation on the revenue budget proposals and proposed changes to the capital programme.

The Directorate Appendices provided a summary of proposed savings, budget pressures, and changes to the capital programme for each directorate. The ERE Appendices offered more detail on specific savings proposals for the Environment and Resident Services.

A clarification note clarified that a proposed saving related to optimised environmental enforcement was in fact a forecast overachievement of income against an existing budget, and would not require consultation.

A document was included in the report pack explaining the role of scrutiny in the budget process.

Work Programme Update

The panel was scheduled to review and update its work programme for 2025/26. According to the Work Plan 2022-26, potential future topics for review included:

• Litter and fly-tipping
• The Walking and Cycling Action Plan
• Alternative approaches to reducing carbon emissions
• Leisure services
• Waste management
• Community safety

The work plan also included a list of potential one-off items to be discussed at future meetings.

Minutes from the Previous Meeting

The panel was scheduled to approve the minutes from the previous meeting held on 15 September 2025². During that meeting, the panel:

• Discussed the Statement of Licensing Policy, with Councillor Ajda Ovat, Cabinet Member for Communities, explaining that the local authority is required to review the policy every five years under Section 5 of the Licencing Act[^4].
• Considered the Quarter 1 Budget Monitoring Report, with the Director of Environment reporting a projected overspend of £1.09 million.
• Received a Corporate Delivery Plan - Quarter 1 2025/26 Performance Update, with the Director of Environment explaining that fly tipping had moved negatively with quarter one showing around four and half thousand incidents.
• Planned a Scrutiny Review of Walking and Cycling Action Plan.